Crafting Bespoke Excellence: The Story of Sola Kitchens’ Scandinavian Inspirations

Sola Kitchens is an entry in our Interiors Book 2023.

Sola Kitchens: Country & Town Interiors Book 2023

As the age-old adage goes, if you can’t find what you like, create it yourself. This is exactly what Sofia Bune Strandh decided to do when, in 2006 she was searching for a new kitchen for her flat in central London. Unable to find high-quality designs to match those in her native Sweden, Sofia instead commissioned a company with the traditional carpentry techniques she was looking for. Thrilled with the result, both in terms of quality and style, she decided to give up her career as a solicitor to start Sola Kitchens.

Although the business has since grown, the underlying premise of creating beautiful, functional kitchens for clients remains. With a vision of bringing premium Scandinavian design to the UK, and having already established showrooms in Fulham and Hampstead, the company recently opened a flagship store on Wigmore Street. The latter was awarded Kitchen Show room of the Year 2023 by kbbreview magazine for its winning combination of Scandinavian influences and mix of natural materials and textures. Its kerbside appeal is heightened by a birch tree and swings in the front window display, which draws the attention of passers-by.

The beauty of Scandinavian design – and what continues to appeal to the UK market – is that the look can be interpreted in a modern or classic way. It is also rooted in practicality and will never go out of fashion. Sola Kitchens designs its own ranges so whether you prefer sleek and clean with simple Shaker-style doors and handles, or more traditional decorative features such as tongue-and-groove panels, the Scandinavian style is always timeless yet fresh. Wood kitchens can be hand-painted or sprayed to match your colour scheme and every kitchen that the team designs and builds is completely bespoke, tailored to an individual’s preferred look.

Tips, Tricks & Tools

1. ‘A splashback is a small but important part of a kitchen design. It can be used as a way of adding a pop of colour or feature, or to tie the room together.’
2. ‘A kitchen island is a popular item on many homeowner’s wish lists but if you don’t have the room, the next best thing is a kitchen peninsula (instead of standing in the middle of the room, one end is attached to the wall). It’s a great way of creating more counter surface
   and storage.’
3. ‘Casual seating in the kitchen, such as a comfy sofa, creates a welcoming feel.’
4. ‘If you lack space, combine kitchen and dining areas. For instance, put kitchen units on one wall and a large table opposite.’
5. ‘Breakfast nooks are perfect for making the most of extra space and offer a cosy spot to enjoy morning coffee and casual suppers.’

Secret Address Book

• Lighting: Cameron Design House’s chandeliers are beautiful (camerondesignhouse.com).
• Furniture: Tollgard Design Group supplies Solas showrooms with contemporary Scandinavian furniture (tollgard.com).
• Blog: Yatzer is the brand’s go-to for online design inspiration (yatzer.com).

SOLA KITCHENS
17 Wigmore Street London W1U 1PQ
+44 (0)20 3004 0898
solakitchens.com
@solakitchens